In the early weeks of summer, a microscopic parasite quietly moved through the food supply of five American states, eventually sickening more than 1,600 people who had done nothing more than order a meal. By mid-July, federal investigators had traced the illness — cyclosporiasis, a stubborn and painful intestinal infection — to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants, with a California-based produce company identified as the likely source. The outbreak is a reminder that in a centralized food system, a single invisible failure can ripple outward with remarkable speed, reaching
Taylor Farms under investigation in multi-state cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taco Bell
1,644 people diagnosed with cyclosporiasis across five states, resulting in 94 hospitalizations, though no deaths reported.